Notes and Letters

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 28th April 2007

Characters: Rahona, Lineal
Description: Rahona and Lineal write letters to Lineal's father.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 4

The ship Lineal sailed on boasted a firelizard. A clever little bronze who had learned to report to a number of people, and for the exchange of chores or marks the firelizard's friend could be prevailed upon to get messages where they were supposed to go.

Rahona hated the fact that Lineal had to pay for the service but it was impractical to ask her brothers and their dragons to deliver the little notes that went back and forth between her and Lineal.

The latest notes, though, had seemed worth paying for. She had written to tell him that she and the children would go back to his riverboat home. He had written back full of enthusiasm about it. Little notes became bigger notes as he tried to tell the children every wonderful thing they would find in their new life.

Rahona was getting swamped with scraps of paper and hide.

Then the notes started to reflect the necessary plans.

~ ~ ~

Lineal opened the glowbasket as far as it would go and reminded himself to get the basket replenished before he went blind from trying to write in the half-light.

"I know the schedule and the best place to meet up with the Sungazer is at their way point –"

Had he explained about the way point? The Hold or cothold that each riverboat used for its main replenishment of water and wood on both upstream and downstream journeys? That each riverboat had their own way point and often that was the place of choice for families who chose to settle off the riverboat to live? He thought he had.

"So that would be d9 or 10 of next month upstream, or d22 or 23 downstream. I will be leaving here when we next visit River Bluff, which will be d7, so I can make either. Whichever will suit your brothers – if they are still willing to transport us."

He scrawled his name at the bottom of the slip of paper and rolled it carefully. Getting to his feet he flipped the lid of the glowbasket closed and went to find the man with the firelizard.

~ ~ ~

Rahona was starting to think the man with the firelizard was going to be able to buy his own ship with the profits from her and Lineal's correspondence but finally the dates were set. Her brownrider brothers would take the family to the way point – they assured her that by the time they were ready to go they would have perfectly good visualisations for the small riverside Hold – and d10 was best for them.

Lineal's next note enclosed a much longer letter, that one to his father saying that he was coming home, and telling him when they would arrive.

Rahona settled down to write an accompanying letter to the man she had never met. Both letters would have to be delivered by dragonrider; a chance, she thought, for R'harne to prove he knew where the way point was. They might not go right away since it depended on when R'harne could spare the time, but they would get there faster by dragon than by sending them by ship along the coast.

And then a final note to Lineal.

"R'harne will get the letters delivered soon. I feel it's becoming more and more real now we have a date set.
The children are looking forward to the move and to seeing their 'riverboat' family. But enough of this.
The little firelizard is looking so fat with his treats that it's a wonder he bothers to run any more errands.

"Looking forward to seeing you on d7, "Rahona."
~ ~ ~

Lineal smiled as he read the note while on watch in the candlemarks before dawn. Within days his father would know he was bringing his family home to the Nettleweed River and the Sungazer.

Last updated on the April 30th 2007

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Notes and Letters